Red Cross Sends 9 new volunteers to Baton Rouge

Nine newly trained Red Cross disaster volunteers will leave for Baton Rouge today where they will be assigned to work in Red Cross shelters for the next three weeks. As a result of the enormous response by the Red Cross to assist the families affected by Hurricane Katrina, the Upstate SC Chapter of the American Red Cross held two large disaster training workshops with hundreds of people attending the workshops. Many of the trained volunteers have been working at the Palmetto Expo during the past week and nine more will leave today for Louisiana. More than 85,000 trained disaster relief workers from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have responded to help their neighbors in need.

To date, trained volunteers have assisted 1136 people providing assistance of food, clothes, prescriptions and other emergency supplies. The Upstate Chapter has provided direct assistance of over $371,000 to hurricane victims that have come to the Upstate. Trained Red Cross caseworkers are now working with each family to transition them out of the Palmetto Expo including helping them reach a final destination or if they are planning to stay in the area, helping them find temporary or permanent housing arrangements. The Red Cross is leading local efforts to integrate all evacuees into the community, providing stability and a platform for rebuilding lives and families.

Across the Mid-Atlantic, the American Red Cross has provided immediate emergency assistance for almost 7,000 families and now will continue to work within neighborhoods to help these families transition to services for their long term needs.

Since Hurricane Katrina slammed ashore, the Red Cross has provided survivors nearly 2 million overnight stays in 709 shelters across 24 states and the District of Columbia. Yesterday, the Red Cross housed more than 50,000 survivors in 268 shelters and served more than 365,000 hot meals. The American Red Cross is expanding the variety of its efforts to provide immediate financial assistance to upwards of three quarters of a million dollars to Hurricane Katrina victims who are dispersed across the nation. With an understanding that the process of getting assistance to victims will take weeks rather than days, the Red Cross continues to reach out to the thousands of people in need of help.

The Red Cross has been preparing for Tropical Storm Rita by assessing potential equipment, shelter and volunteer needs even while responding to Katrina. The first priority of the Red Cross before, during and after any disaster is to provide safe shelter, food and safe drinking water, as well as emotional support. The Red Cross responds to more than 70,000 disasters every year - whether the situation is a single-family fire or a multi-state catastrophe.

American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort Facts at a Glance

The American Red Cross is responding to an unprecedented natural catastrophe and devoting every resource to this humanitarian relief effort. The American people can be confident the Red Cross will spare no effort to meet the needs of hundreds of thousands of Hurricane Katrina survivors.

• Since Hurricane Katrina slammed ashore, the Red Cross has provided survivors nearly 2 million overnight stays in 709 shelters across 24 states and the District of Columbia.
• On Monday night, the Red Cross housed more than 61,500 survivors in 348 shelters.
• The American Red Cross served more than 358,500 hot meals on Monday.
• The Red Cross has served more than 7.7 million hot meals and more than 6.6 million snacks to survivors of Hurricane Katrina.
• To date, more than 112,000 people have received Red Cross Disaster Mental Health services.
• More than 85,000 trained Red Cross disaster relief workers from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have responded to help their neighbors in need. During this effort, the Red Cross has trained more than 75,000 people in specialized disaster relief skills.
• To date, nearly 80,000 families have received more than $140 million in aid through Red Cross programs. In addition to funds, 85,000 Red Cross trained volunteers are providing services like meals, blankets, clothing, hygiene kits and a place to sleep for hundreds of thousands of people.
• More than 182,000 people have registered on the Red Cross “Family Links Registry,” which is helping reconnect loved ones separated by Hurricane Katrina. To register, go to www.redcross.org or call 1-877-LOVED-1S.

The American Red Cross is expanding the variety of its efforts to provide financial assistance to upwards of three quarters of a million Hurricane Katrina victims who are dispersed across the nation. Assistance is provided in a variety of ways, including client assistance cards, vouchers, and checks.
The Red Cross is fulfilling urgent needs, turning donations into help faster than ever before. Our gold standard is for everyone touched by Katrina to be safe and comforted.

All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of this disaster and thousands of other disasters across the country each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need. Call 1-800-HELP NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.

Update 09/13/2005

The American people can be confident the American Red Cross will spare no effort to meet the needs of hundreds of thousands of Hurricane Katrina survivors. The Red Cross is establishing a comprehensive system to deliver needed financial assistance to storm victims.

The Upstate SC Chapter of the American Red Cross continues to assist families and individuals devastated by the hurricane's onslaught. To date, trained volunteers have assisted 927 people providing assistance of food, clothes, prescriptions and other emergency supplies. The Upstate chapter has provided direct assistance of over $322,000 to hurricane victims that have come to the Upstate. We are now working with each family to transition them out of the palmetto Expo. This includes helping them reach a final destination or if they are planning to stay in the area, helping them find temporary or permanent housing arrangements.

The Upstate SC Chapter has organized training for literally hundreds of volunteers to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Because of this generous outpouring from community members, the Red Cross has now reached its capacity for volunteers needed to help in the Upstate with this disaster at this point in time.

The American Red Cross continues to work with our partners to provide food and sheltering to the victims in the affected areas. More than 74,000 trained Red Cross Disaster Relief workers from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have responded to help their neighbors in need. To date, the Red Cross has provided 207,000 survivors in over 709 shelters. The American Red Cross has served more than 7.6 million hot meals to survivors of Hurricane Katrina since before first landfall.

Many of the evacuees have lost loved ones or are unable to locate their families. The Red Cross "Family Links Registry" on www.redcross.org is one way for families to re-connect. Concerned family members can register the names of their loved ones and view the list of those already posted. Since its inception, the Registry has received a total of 115,242 calls with over 5,000 coming in during the past 24 hours Due to the extent of the damage and the number of people displaced, concerned friends and family members are encouraged to visit the site daily. You can visit the "Family Links Registry" via www.redcross.org or call 1-877-LOVED-1s (1-877-568-3317)...

The American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need for this disaster and thousands of other disasters across the country each year.

Due to the generosity of the American people, the American Red Cross stands ready to meet the monumental challenge of helping to rebuild lives. The WYFF Telethon raised over $640,000 for Katrina Relief. For every dollar donated, 91 cents goes directly to assist disaster victims.

Ten local volunteers have been deployed from the Upstate Chapter for 3-week assignments in affected areas. They are feeding victims on mobile emergency response vehicles and working in shelters in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. One volunteer has been deployed to the National Call Center.

Hurricane Katrina is the worst natural disaster our nation has faced; the disaster is the largest and costliest relief effort ever mounted by the American Red Cross. It is expected that relief efforts will continue for many months and will have to be sustained through the generosity of the American public.

The Red Cross has been preparing for Hurricane Ophelia by assessing potential equipment, shelter and volunteer needs even while responding to Katrina. Shelters are already open and more are on standby in the Outer Banks and other low-lying and inland areas. The first priority of the Red Cross before, during and after any disaster is to provide safe shelter, food and safe drinking waters, as well as emotional support. The Red Cross responds to more than 70,000 disasters every year - whether the situation is a single-family fire or a multi-state catastrophe.

Jack Ware

Jack Ware, a New Orleans-are resident left his uptown, second-floor apartment after Aug. 30 after concluding the police did not have control of the city.

Read more about his day-to day experience here.

Update 09/12/2005

Greenville, SC Sept. 6, 2005 – The American Red Cross is responding at a record-setting pace in its drive to bring shelter, food and safe drinking water to the tens of thousands of Americans impacted by Hurricane Katrina’s savage assault on the Gulf Coast. The Upstate SC Chapter continues to assist families and individuals devastated by the hurricane’s onslaught. To date, trained caseworkers have assisted 880 victims. Direct assistance such as food, clothing, prescriptions and other emergency supplies totaling over $300,000 has been provided to victims who have reached the Greenville area from the gulf coast.

Families who are unable to reach a Red Cross office can call 1-800-975-7585 toll free 24 hours a day to register for emergency financial assistance which they will obtain from a financial institution in the community where they are now staying.

The American Red Cross continues to meet the staggering challenge of providing relief to thousands of survivors in the widespread path of devastation and destruction left by Hurricane Katrina. To date, the Red Cross has housed 1.8 million survivors in over 700 shelters. The American Red Cross has served more than 7.2 million hot meals to survivors of Hurricane Katrina since before first landfall. The sheer volume of people affected, as well as the extensive geographical area impacted will require long-term massive feeding and sheltering operations for many months to come. 90,000 square miles have been affected—about the same size as Great Britain.

In order to accomplish this extraordinary level of relief, over 63,000 trained Red Cross disaster specialists have been deployed in 13 states and at the Red Cross national headquarters in Washington, D.C. Recruitment is continuing and local chapters across the country are expanding training for thousands of spontaneous volunteers who are willing to make the priceless donation of their time and skills to this enormous humanitarian outreach.

With families, friends and colleagues scattered in the face of Katrina’s fury, the American Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross have established the “Family Links Registry” to enable people to re-establish those essential relationships. Since its inception, the Registry has received a total of 115,242 calls with over 5,000 coming in during the past 24 hours. The “Family Links Registry” can be accessed through www.redcross.org or by calling toll-free 1-877-LOVED 1S (1-877-568-3317).

Update 09/08/2005

Red Cross emergency shelters are providing a safe refuge for tens of thousands of Hurricane Katrina survivors. Since Hurricane Katrina first slammed ashore in Florida, the American Red Cross has:

# housed 142,000 survivors in more than 485 shelters in 18 states.

# served more than 3.3 million hot meals to survivors of Hurricane Katrina since before first landfall.

# Mobilized more than 5,600 trained Red Cross workers who have left their homes in every corner of the United States to join thousands of local volunteers who responded immediately to help their neighbors in need